August 07, 2024, Durham, NC – The Journal of American College Health recently published important findings from iRT’s sexual health research with community college students. The article, entitled “An examination of the sexual health behaviors and cognitions of young U.S. community college students with respect to the intersection of gender and sexual identity,” was authored by iRT Research Scientists Drs. Reina Evans-Paulson, Tracy Scull, Katie Stump, and Christina Dodson, as well as former iRT researcher Megan Armstrong.

College students are at risk for negative sexual health outcomes, including high risk of STIs and unintended pregnancy. While a wealth of research explores the wellbeing and sexual health of young adults, few studies include one unique subpopulation of college students that are at high risk for negative sexual health outcomes: community college students.

Community college campuses are often nonresidential, so students spend less time on campus, and community colleges often have fewer financial resources than four-year colleges. Community colleges are also less likely than four-year colleges to provide on-campus health services to their students.

The Community College Health Study is being conducted to fill the gap in research on community college students’ health, particularly the health of students who are young adults around 18-19 years old. Over 1,600 students and 50 faculty, staff, and administrators from 35 community colleges across the United States participated in this online study to help us better understand how to promote students’ sexual and relationship health and prevent sexual assault.

iRT’s recent article in the Journal of American College Health analyzes data that was collected as part of the Community College Health Study to examine the sexual behaviors of community college students as well as the cognitive factors that are known predictors of future healthy sexual decision making. The study examines differences in sexual health outcomes according to the gender and sexual identities of students. These findings shed light on the unique needs of specific subpopulations of community college students.

For example, previous research highlights that, women may have less behavioral control over whether a condom is used during vaginal sex with male partners, and women may be less likely to insist on using condoms during sex due to the fear of a negative reaction from their male partner. Also, traditional masculinity norms that stigmatize communication and health- and help-seeking behaviors may make men less likely to communicate about or seek resources to promote their sexual health. LGBQ+ college students (e.g., students who identify as gay, students who identify as bisexual, students who identify as queer) may be less likely to receive sexual health education from their college that is relevant to their identities and experiences and are more likely to experience discrimination when seeking sexual health resources compared to heterosexual students.

The recent study aimed to examine students’ sexual health outcomes with respect to gender and sexual identity to help community colleges determine what resources to provide to students to address these barriers and better support subpopulations of community college students.

Key Findings

Young adults who participated in the Community College Health Study were asked to complete a survey to report their sexual health behaviors and beliefs upon first joining the study.

Only 12% of sexually active students who completed the survey reported using a condom or dental dam the last time they had oral sex, 51% used a condom the last time they had vaginal sex, and 42% used a condom the last time they had anal sex. Only 52% of students reported that they have talked to a medical professional about sexual health.

Participating young men, including both young heterosexual and LGBQ+ men, were less likely to communicate with a doctor about sexual health than young women and nonbinary students. Both groups were also less likely to communicate with a partner about sexual health than heterosexual and LGBQ+ women. Young heterosexual men had significantly more negative attitudes toward contraception and communicating with a partner about sexual health than all other student groups.

Young heterosexual women were significantly less likely to use a condom at last vaginal sex than heterosexual men and less likely to use a condom during anal sex compare to LGBQ+ men and LGBQ+ women. Heterosexual women also reported more negative attitudes toward condoms and contraception compared to LGBQ+ women and LGBQ+ nonbinary students.

These findings point to the need for sexual health programming and resources that are tailored to the unique needs of subpopulations of community college students.

To read the full article with more findings from this study, visit https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/ZFZZM2RT63EFWF3YHIYC/full?target=10.1080/07448481.2024.2378294.

If you would like to stay up-to-date on other findings and news related to the Community College Health Study, complete the sign-up form at https://cchealthstudy.com/results/#newsletter-form to subscribe.

 

Evans-Paulson, R., Scull, T. M., Stump, K. N., Dodson, C. V., & Armstrong, M. (2024). An examination of the sexual health behaviors and cognitions of young U.S. community college students with respect to the intersection of gender and sexual identity. Journal of American College Health, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2024.2378294